Outdoors in RI: Common sense not so common – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer, commentary

“I’ve found that common sense ain’t so common.” – Mark Twain (or 18th century Voltaire)

Throughout the last 50 years there has been hysteria crisis after hysteria crisis. “We are entering an Ice Age!”.  We are depleting the ozone layer therefore we must ban freons, then the Acid Rain crisis erupted.  California seems to have every chemical known to mankind causing cancer. I actually think California Lab rats may cause cancer.  And when California declared that “sex causes cancer” I knew I was a dead man. 

Back in 2004 Perchlorate was supposedly found in wells in Massachusetts. Perchlorate comes from explosives and fireworks.  The wells that were contaminated with Perchlorate had no known activity that would generate this compound.  Further when I questioned the Westport Massachusetts DOH Director the same year, he had no idea of the methodology of entire sample analysis for Perchlorate. The fact that many of the positive testing wells were at a trace level undermines the accuracy of the analysis. Lab contamination, sample contamination, instrument residue carryover is all factors the director could not answer. 

Then there was global warming and we all must give up our way of life to save the planet. Funny that 90% of other countries have no intention of doing anything.  But extremists say the USA must stop using fossil fuels. So, if indeed there is Global Warming, will a handful of countries really make a difference?

I have no plan on getting rid of my V8 powered truck. When global warming was met with skepticism, the narrative was changed to climate change. Forests are being eliminated so as to allow solar panel farms to be built in place of the forests. This deforestation eliminates the planets primary source of CO2 filtration. 

The latest hysteria crisis is now polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). We must ban them as the world will come to an end if we don’t. Well, the PFAs are here to stay. PFAs are a necessary compound in many of man-made products. Like California, some federal alphabet agencies consider them extremely dangerous. Here is a novel idea: Don’t spread them on a sandwich or on an open wound. Nor spread the sludge from factory discharges on farmland like they did in Maine. Common sense goes a long way. Especially when eliminating certain substances just can’t be reasonably done.

In another part of my life many private laboratories gave up the analysis of drinking water as the detection limits were near impossible to meet. This detection limit problem killed any hope of making a profit performing the analysis. 50 Parts per Trillion was (PPT) the lowest detection limit obtainable and at the very lower analytical threshold for Mass Spectrometer instrumentation. Now the EPA has set a lifetime exposure limit of 0.004 PPT for PFAs. Good luck trying to obtain those analytical values. Within the last week global extremists obstructed a golf tournament by blocking golfers by using smoke flares of the green and pink colors.  This disruption was done in the name of stopping fossil fuel use. Smoke flares are known to emit perchlorates when detonated. There is a movement afoot to ban all use of both private and commercial use of fireworks as the fireworks are hazardous to human health. 

It is obvious that there is a complete lack of common sense in the environmental world. A lack of common sense is going on in other parts of the outdoor world. We as gun owners know we are our own first responders. That goes for medical emergencies as well. While out hunting or fishing this writer carries an AED in his truck as seconds count when medical personnel can be 20 minutes away or more. This week, Representative Ronny Jackson,while attending a rodeo, was assaulted by police while he administered medical help to a 15-year-old child who was having a medical emergency. Rep. Jackson is a 2 star US Navy Admiral and was previously Presidents Trump’s physician. The assault was not warranted nor at all acceptable. Since I am a previous member of an elite group of first responders (USCG), will we need to be looking over our shoulders as we administer first aid in the future? 

Many gun clubs have regular first aid classes and AED classes so when people are out hunting or fishing there is a high probability that a first responder is nearby. Hopefully this competitive behavior never enters Rhode Island. Hopefully common sense always prevails in Rhode Island.

Next week… Jeff

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.